OPCW Director-General Delivers Keynote Address to the 4th Singapore International Symposium on Protection Against Toxic Substances

The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter, is visiting Singapore to deliver the keynote address at the 4 th Singapore International Symposium on Protection against Toxic Substances (SISPAT) taking place from 4-10 December 2004. The Symposium, first organised in 1997 by the DSO National Laboratories of Singapore, brings together scientists, engineers and professionals engaged in research and development in the field of protection against toxic chemicals.

In his address to the Symposium, the Director-General provided an overview of the status of the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, the progress made by Member States in the destruction of the declared stockpile of chemical weapons, as well as the challenges that lie ahead for the Organisation.

Ambassador Pfirter also drew attention to the threat of chemical terrorism by noting that "the risk of terrorists gaining access to weapons of mass destruction requires a concrete response by States and international organisations. The existing international instruments of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation must not be weakened under any circumstances, indeed, they must be strengthened." He said that the Chemical Weapons Convention has four 'pillars'– disarmament, non-proliferation, international cooperation, and assistance and protection. Though the Convention is not an anti-terrorism instrument, there is widespread recognition in the international community that the OPCW has an important contribution to make by denying access to terrorists to chemicals which can be used for causing harm.

Ambassador Pfirter reaffirmed that in times of crisis or emergencies arising from a threat or use of chemical weapons, the OPCW is ready to coordinate the dispatch and delivery of means of protection and to make emergency assistance available in accordance with the provisions of the Convention.

In his concluding remarks, the Director-General of the OPCW said that in the final analysis, the extent to which the international community adopts and implements the Chemical Weapons Convention will determine the contribution that such a multilateral disarmament instrument can make to global anti-terrorist efforts, and thereby contributing to improving the prospects for lasting international peace and security.

H.E. Mr Cedric Foo, Singapore's Minister of Defence and National Development, said "Singapore ratified the CWC in April 1997. As a State Party, Singapore has fulfilled all its obligations." The Minister further added, "Singapore's National Authority has been working closely with the OPCW to encourage regional efforts related to the CWC."

Mr Queck Gim Pew, Chief Executive Officer of the DSO National Laboratories, said, "SISPAT would have remained an idea on the drawing board without the strong support of the international chem.-bio research and development community, the sponsorship of Singapore's Ministry of Defence and the OPCW."

During his official visit to the Republic of Singapore, Director-General Pfirter met H.E. Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; H. E. Rear-Admiral (NS) Teo Chee Hean, Minister of Defense; H.E. Mr Heng Chee How, Minister of State for Trade and Industry; Dr Lee Fook Kay, Director, National Authority (CWC); as well as officials from the Singapore Customs and Immigration Checkpoints Authority.

On behalf of the Organisation, Director-General Pfirter thanked the Government of Singapore for its exemplary cooperation and firm support of the aims and goals of the Convention, in addition to its welcome and generous contribution in the area of assistance and protection against chemical weapons. The Director-General also expressed the Organisation's appreciation to the Singaporean Chemical Industry for the cooperation it has extended to the Organisation in its implementation of the non-proliferation regime.

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Categories: Asia, Assistance and Protection